I was actually looking forward to the new Mortal Kombat movie. No reason. I had only a mild interest in the video game when I was younger and the other Mortal Kombat movie left a lot to be desired. There was just something about this one that intrigued me.
Now after seeing the film on HBO Max, I realized that I was fooling myself. This was terrible.
To be fair, if you are a fan of the video game, there may be more here than I think.
This version was rated R and it was extremely bloody and violent. It is some of that blood that seems to be there for no other reason than to be gory.
MMA fighter Cole Young (Lewis Tang) is a descendent to one of the greatest ninjas of all-time, Hanzo (Hiroyuki Sanada) who had been attacked and killed by Sub-Zero (Joe Taslim) in an attempt to remove the bloodline. Now, Cole is trying to gather the heroes of earth to battle against the forces of Outworld. Head of those forces, Shang Tsung (Chin Han), is trying to destroy earth’s forces before the great tournament that would put the world’s fate in balance.
This is so dumb. I will state off the bat that the movie has some good fight scenes, though I thought the blood was a distraction. The CGI was certainly better than the original movie, which had some of the worst CGI of the time. The acting was okay. I would not push it any farther than that.
The story was weak. The dialogue was terrible. We have very little connection to any of the characters outside of the fact that they had a resemblance to the characters we know from the game. The third act featured one of the sloppiest deus ex machinas that I have seen in quite awhile.
I expect that this is one of those movies, like the Fast and the Furious franchise, that everyone says you have to understand what kind of movie it is and that you should not come into Mortal Kombat expecting much. I’ve never truly understood that thinking. Either a movie is good or it is not. It is subjective so you really shouldn’t need to clarify why you like a movie when it is a piece of garbage. The new Mortal Kombat movie is garbage, but there are plenty of people who will defend it as “fun” and that this is one of those “types” of films. I wish I found much of anything in this fun so maybe I could stick my head in the sand and pretend that this is a good movie. It is not.
SPOILERS FOR THE FINALE OF THE FALCON AND WINTER SOLDIER, EPISODE 6
This show was initially expected to be back to the Marvel formula of action. You have two buff stars and everybody absolutely knew that this was going to be nothing but a big Marvel action fest.
Oh, we did not know what we were going to get.
While the show had plenty of great action, The Falcon and the White Soldier brought so much more to the six episode series. The show dealt with issues of identity, racial disparity and entitlement and did them all extremely well. The show built Sam Wilson up into a position where it was clearly his right to take the mantel of Captain America.
The new Wakandan uniform is exceptional and appeared very comic book accurate. There was a slight concern on my part that they might remove the wings, but I was extremely pleased to see Sam rocketing across the sky at the beginning of the show.
The sixth episode starts with a ton of action, including some amazing aerial fights involving helicopters. The scenes are brilliantly shot and fill the anxiety of the viewers.
During the action scenes, we get confirmed that Sharon Carter was indeed the Power Broker. We did not get much info on why she is now the Power Broker (though they hinted at how the US ignored her), but I fully expect that the character of Sharon Carter has more to do in the MCU and that we will learn more about her as the years movie along.
She did end up killing Karli to “save” Sam’s life. She did save Sam as Karli was preparing to shoot him, but she was also doing it to keep the secret that she was the Power Broker silent. Sam brought the body of Karli to the authorities in a gorgeously shot scene.
John Walker has a bit of redemption in the action scenes too as he showed up with his newly minted shield. It may not have lasted long in the battle, but Walker made a solid choice to try and help save a group of people in a truck that were about to fall to their deaths. Wyatt Russell brought a really complex character in the series and, thankfully, he survived the show and, thanks to Julia Louis-Dreyfus, he is able to take his place as USAgent. Looking forward to more from him.
The monologue Sam gives to the Senator and the other members of the GRC is the final step for Sam to become Captain America in the eyes of the world. There are so many great lines included in the monologue that showed the world, including Isaiah, that he had the strength of character to be Cap. Bucky called him Cap. Tears came to my eyes when a bystander yelled “Yes, Black Falcon!” and another one said to him, “No, that’s Captain America.” Beautiful.
Speaking of beautiful, the scene at the end with Sam and Isaiah at the Smithsonian was such a wonderful tag to the side story of Isaiah.
More details:
Batroc dies. Shot by Sharon.
Amazing scene where Sam flies through the helicopter, snatching away the pilot.
With Eli Bradley following with his grandfather, how long before we get The Patriot. The Smithsonian scene probably helped open Isaiah’s mind for the future of the Young Avenger.
Zemo gets the last laugh. His butler blows up the remaining Super Soldiers.
Sharon melted one of the super soldiers with poison gas. That was brutal.
Who does Sharon call in the mid credit scene? She got her pardon, her job back and an in to the secrets and weapons of the US government.
Hey Bucky… don’t take a cell phone from a mysterious person. You could die from that.
When Sam lands on the bridge, wraps his wings around the shield and allows the helicopter to bounce off him… I mean… WOW!
Two Redwings!
Walker quoting Lincoln. “Mercy bears richer fruit than strict justice.” Don’t quote Lincoln John.
Bucky gets invited to the cookout!
The Falcon and the Winter Soldier delivered great action and unexpected depth of character and emotion. This was the second huge hit for Marvel Studios on Disney +.
And now you can call it Captain America and the Winter Soldier!
For most of the time I was watching the Canadian horror/sci-fi film, Come True, I was mesmerized. There is a lot to like here. However, the ending of this film really takes the story in directions that…one, I did not see coming and…two, make very little sense.
18-year-old runaway Sarah Dunne (Julia Sarah Stone) sets herself up for a sleep disorder study to deal with her recurring nightmares. Soon, she discovers that the sleep study has more going on than one expects.
However, that is not what this movie is about. It is about dreams and about the nightmares that frighten us all. Or is it?
Through much of the film’s run time, Come True is beautifully shot and creates a feel of a living dream by the use of lights and imagery that is in a constant haze. It really is a lovely looking movie and one that is unlike any I have seen in quite a long time.
Narratively speaking, I have no idea exactly what happened.
Perhaps that is the purpose. Dreams can be a confusing and disjointed experience and maybe that is what this film is trying to portray. It just feels as if the third act of this movie took what was developing nicely in the first hour of the film and tossed it aside for a shock ending that is meant to be smarter than it turned out to be. The last part of this movie was a real letdown.
However, the first two acts were very strong and moved things along extremely well. There were plenty of situations that may have confused you, but it felt as if there was a progression of the story, and, again, it is beautifully shot. The acting is very solid, despite the cast being a group of actors whom I had never seen before. I really liked Julia Sarah Stone in this film. She felt as if she dominated the screen when she appeared and she carried herself like a star.
The other major role here was that of Jeremy (Landon Liboiron), but, after seeing the ending of the movie, his importance in the film may be up for debate. He was believable here.
I am happy I watched this, but I cannot shake the feeling that I was thinking that this could have been a classic film, only to have it spoiled by a nonsensical ending. After the first hour or so, I was thinking that this would be somewhere in the 4.5 stars range, but it took quite a downturn in my opinion. I’d still recommend you watch it, but temper your expectations.
Benedict Cumberbatch has been making a career outside of the MCU playing characters that are real life people with gigantic stories to tell. He was Stuart Couch in the Mauritanian. He was Alan Turning in The Imitation Game. He was Billy Bulger in Black Mass. Now he is Greville Wynne in The Courier.
The Courier tells the true story of a British businessman, in the heart of the Cold War, recruited by MI6 to meet with Russian informant Colonel Oleg Penkovsky (Merab Ninidze) who had vital information that dealt with world safety. Taking place around the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis, The Courier highlighted the courageous actions of two men inside the former Soviet Union leading to vital intelligence coming to the West.
The movie does a fantastic job of showing the relationship between Wynne and Oleg. Among the danger and the espionage happening, these two formed a bond of friendship that is put to the test later in the movie. It shows how two people from different background and lands can put aside any issues they may have and make a connection.
Benedict Cumberbatch is tremendous here, continuing his strong run of roles. He has shown quite admirably that he is more than just Doctor Strange or Sherlock Holmes. His well-roundedness is on display once again in these true stories.
This was a tale that I had never heard about and the drama behind the Cuban Missile Crisis is always intense and suspenseful. The world was quite literally on the brink of nuclear war and the way that informs this story is well done. The Courier provides us with an old school spy thriller feel and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Something happens in the third act that I was not expecting and I found myself completely engrossed in it.
The beginning of the movie was a little slow, but it ratcheted up quickly as it progressed. There was a sub story with both men and their individual marriages. in particular, Sheila (Jessie Buckley), wife of Greville Wynne who believed he was having another affair in his constant trips to the USSR. The relationships in The Courier are truly the main attraction of the movie.
This is a strong film with a story that is both tense and exceptional that was unknown enough to make it engaging.
Next weekend, Warner Brothers will release a new movie version of the classic video game Mortal Kombat, which reboots the series from a movie from 1995 that is considered a fun film by some. I had never seen the film before and I thought it might be a good idea to watch before the new movie next week. In retrospect, I sure hope that next week’s new film is better than this.
Bringing all of the main characters from the video game, Mortal Kombat sets up a mystical tournament that is meant to save the world. That is about it for a plot.
We had Johnny Cage (Linden Ashby), Sonya Blade (Bridgette Wilson), Liu Kang (Robin Shou) join Lord Raiden (Christopher Lambert) into the battle. The sorcerer Shang Tsung (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa) was here too on the villainous side.
There is such a bunch of crap here. The dialogue is laughable. The special effects are terrible, even for 1995. The characters are cardboard. There is no basic plot. The action was okay.
Shang Tsung is the mustache-twirling villain with nothing much more than that. Sub-Zero and Scorpion are here, but are way under represented. Goro is ridiculous looking.
I could understand someone liking this if you are hoping for something really stupid just to watch. Really stupid is exactly what this is. Can it be fun? Maybe. I still hope next week’s film is deeper.
I have decided to undertake a special binge for the coming spring/summer season here at EYG. Beginning on April 29th and throughout summer vacation, I will be watching a movie every day and writing a review for the Doc’s Classic Movies Reviewed section of the site. Each of these films will be movies that I have never actually seen before.
I have been working on a list, but I believe that I need to add more. If my count is correct, I will need in excess of 100 movies to complete the task.
Qualifications for the film:
The movie is one that I have not seen all the way through before. I may have seen scenes or parts of the movie, but I have not seen it from beginning to end.
It is a movie that has been released prior to 2021.
At first, the plan was to start the DailyView when my school ended for the 20-21 school year, but I was getting excited to get started so I took a personal day and planned on starting off the binge fest on April 29th. This will continue through all of May, June and July and then into August, until school restarts (and maybe for awhile after that).
As school concludes this year, the only day that may cause some issues will be Wednesday nights so I believe that I will need to be precise with my schedule.
This will not include any of the new releases that will come out during the time frame. I will still do those. There may also be some weekend binges that may be themed through the summer (for example, perhaps I would do a weekend July 4th Binge, including movies that I have seen before…such as Independence Day). If I do another binge along the way, I will make sure to include something that qualifies for the DailyView.
I hope to spread the genres out during DailyView. Comedies, Horror, Action/Adventure. Documentaries, Fantasy/Sci-Fi, Westerns, Animated, Biopics etc. Many of these are going to be considered classics that are holes in my viewing and some will be movies that may not be widely known.
There may be some days where I will exceed the one film a day. In fact, on April 29th, I am considering kicking off DailyView with a binge of several films.
I am excited to get started on this project. I will maintain the count of films on this post. Some will be great. Some may be rotten. Bring them on! Happy viewing!
DailyView
April 29, 2021: The Maltese Falcon (1941)
……………………… Danger: Diabolik (1968)
……………………… Under Siege (1992)
……………………… Watership Down (1978)
April 30, 2021: Touch of Evil (1958)
May 1, 2021: Bridesmaids (2011)
………………….. What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)
May 2, 2021: Constantine (2005)
…………………… All About Eve (1950)
May 3, 2021: Duck Soup (1933)
May 4, 2021: Death Becomes Her (1992)
May 5, 2021: The Kid (1921)
May 6, 2021: Bowfinger (1999)
May 7, 2021: Juno (2007)
May 8, 2021: American Splendor (2003)
…………………… Saving Private Ryan (1998)
…………………. Enchanted (2007)
May 9, 2021: The Magnificent Seven (1960)
. . . . . . . . . . . . . First Blood (1982)
May 10, 2021: The Lady Vanishes (1938)
May 11. 2021: Holes (2003)
May 12, 2021: The Immigrant (1917)
May 13, 2021: Highlander (1986)
May 14, 2021: Phantom of the Opera (1943)
May 15, 2021: The Sound of Music (1965)
May 16,2021: Never Rarely Sometimes Always (2020)
. . . . . . . . . . . … Young Guns II (1990)
May 17, 2021: Tuck Everlasting (2002)
May 18, 2021: My Octopus Teacher (2020)
May 19, 2021: Sunnyside (1919)
May 20, 2021: The Night of the Hunter (1955)
May 21, 2021: Wendigo (2001)
May 22, 2021: Train to Busan Presents: Peninsula (2020)
. . . ……. . . . . … . Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007)
May 30, 2021: The Gift (2000)
. . . . . .. . . . . …… The Prince of Egypt (1998)
May 31, 2021: Apocalypse Now (1979)
……………………. Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse (1991)
………………….. Black Hawk Down (2001)
June 1, 2021: The ‘Burbs(1989)
. .. . . . . . .. . . . . Caddyshack (1980)
June 2, 2021: Crazy Hong Kong (1993)
……………………. The Town that Dreaded Sundown (1976)
June 3, 2021: Ever After: A Cinderella Story (2001)
…………………… The Kid Detective (2020)
…………………… The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1974)
June 4, 2021: THX 1138 (1971)
……………………. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1992)
June 5, 2021:Heat (1995)
……………………. The French Connection (1971)
June 6, 2021: Kramer vs. Kramer (1979)
……………………. The Devil Wears Prada (2006)
June 7, 2021: The Next Karate Kid (1994)
…………………… The Gods Must Be Crazy(1980)
June 8, 2021: Soylent Green (1973)
……………………. Christine (1983)
……………………. Cold Skin (2018)
June 9, 2021: Only Lovers Left Alive (2013)
June 10, 2021: The Sandlot 2 (2005)
June 11, 2021: Goodfellas (1990)
……………………. Escape from New York (1981)
June 12, 2021: Hairspray (2007)
…………………….. Cinderella Man (2005)
…………………….. Oklahoma (1955)
June 13, 2021: Rocky Balboa (2006)
…………………….. Ghostheads (2016)
…………………….. The Bourne Identity (2002)
June 14, 2021: The Warriors (1979)
……………………… The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
June 15, 2021: Clueless (1995)
…………………….. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)
June 16, 2021: Village of the Damned (1960)
June 17, 2021: Dr. Giggles (1992)
…………………….. The Wrong Man (1956)
…………………….. Constantine: City of Demons-The Movie (2018)
…………………….. Yellow Submarine (1968)
June 18, 2021: The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)
……………………… Idiocracy (2006)
June 19, 2021: Dreamgirls (2006)
June 20, 2021: Road to Perdition (2002)
……………………… The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
June 21, 2021: The Aviator (2004)
……………………… The Natural (1984)
June 22, 2021: Under the Skin (2013)
……………………… Rambo: First Blood Part II(1985)
June 23, 2021: The Time Machine(1960)
June 24, 2021: The Manhattan Project (1986)
……………………… Raising Arizona (1987)
……………………… Monsters (2010)
June 25, 2021: Children of Men (2006)
June 26, 2021: The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962)
……………………… Heavy Metal (1981)
June 27, 2021: Almost Famous (2000)
……………………… Creep 2 (2017)
June 28, 2021: Dreamscape (1984)
……………………… Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006)
June 29, 2021: The Silence (2019)
June 30, 2021: A Dog’s Life (1918)
July 1, 2021: Do the Right Thing (1989)
July 2, 2021: The Invitation (2015)
July 3, 2021: Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)
………………….. Team America: World Police (2004)
July 4, 2021: NationalTreasure(2004)
………………….. BeingEvel(2015)
………………….. TheMusicMan(1962)
………………….. YankeeDoodleDandy (1942)
July 5, 2021: Columbo: Prescription Murder (1968)
…………………… The King’s Speech (2010)
July 6, 2021: Jeremiah Johnson (1972)
………………….. Adam’s Rib (1949)
July 7, 2021: Domestic Disturbance (2001)
July 8, 2021: The Benchwarmers (2006)
………………….. Going in Style (1979)
July 9, 2021: Devil (2010)
July 10, 2021: Weekend at Bernie’s (1989)
July 11, 2021: Anatomy of a Murder (1959)
July 12, 2021: Mulholland Drive (2001)
……………………. Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979)
July 13, 2021: Léon: The Professional (1994)
July 14, 2021: The Rink (1916)
……………………. Conan the Destroyer (1984)
July 15, 2021: When We Were Kings (1996)
……………………. Contact (1997)
July 16, 2021: Heathers (1989)
……………………. Stan Lee Presents: Mosaic (2007)
July 17, 2021: The Bay (2012)
……………………. Real Steel (2011)
July 18, 2021: Dune (1984)
……………………. The Man Who Fell to Earth (1976)
July 19, 2021: Three Days of the Condor (1975)
July 20, 2021: The Conversation (1974)
…………………….. Trog (1970)
…………………….. Bob Dylan: Don’t Look Back (1967)
…………………….. Rebel Without A Cause (1955)
July 21, 2021: Harvey (1950)
July 22, 2021: Splash (1984)
…………………….. The Big Chill (1983)
…………………….. Munster, Go Home (1966)
July 23, 2021: The Comedy of Terrors (1964)
July 24, 2021: Spy Game (2001)
July 25, 2021: The Wiz (1978)
…………………….. Dragonwyck (1946)
July 26, 2021: Frailty (2001)
…………………….. Risky Business (1983)
July 27, 2021: Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003)
July 28, 2021: Snatch (2000)
July 29, 2021: The Man Who Killed Don Quixote (2018)
July 30, 2021: Logan’s Run (1976)
July 31, 2021: Jackie Chan’s First Strike (1996)
August 1, 2021: The Graduate (1967)
………………………. Jezebel (1938)
August 2, 2021: Fast & Furious (2009)
……………………….. The Green Mile (1999)
August 3, 2021: The Man Nobody Knew (2011)
August 4, 2021: Wedding Crashers (2005)
………………………… Laura (1944)
August 5, 2021: Cujo (1983)
August 6, 2021: Flightplan (2005)
……………………….. King Solomon’s Mines (1950)
August 7, 2021: Cop Land (1997)
……………………….. Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley’s Island of Dr. Moreau(2014)
August 8, 2021: Fractured (2019)
……………………….. Eraserhead (1977)
……………………….. Sunshine (2007)
August 9, 2021: U-571 (2000)
August 10, 2021: Black Swan (2010)
August 11, 2021: A Night in the Show (1915)
August 12, 2021: Rim of the World (2019)
August 13, 2021: Titan A.E. (2000)
…………………………. Friday the 13th (1980)
August 14, 2021: The Defiant Ones (1958)
August 15, 2021: Easy Rider (1969)
August 16, 2021: The Raven (1935)
August 17, 2021: The Idle Class (1921)
August 18, 2021: The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl (2005)
August 19, 2021: O Brother, Where Art Thou (2000)
August 20, 2021: Flipper (1963)
August 21, 2021: Dirty Dancing (1987)
August 22, 2021: Dark Places (2015)
August 23, 2021: A Night at the Opera (1935)
August 24, 2021: Hell Comes to Frogtown (1988)
August 25, 2021: Nice and Friendly (1922)
August 26, 2021: Sabotage (1936)
August 27, 2021: Raiders! The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever (2015)
August 28, 2021: Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story (2004)
August 29, 2021: The Dirty Dozen (1967)
August 30, 2021: A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy’s Revenge (1985)
August 31, 2021: Peggy Sue GotMarried (1986)
September 1, 2021: Runaway (1984)
September 2, 2021: Pay Day (1922)
September 3, 2021: SingleWhite Female (1992)
September 4, 2021: Pan’s Labyrinth (2006)
Summer is coming to an end, but the DailyView is going on….
We are extending the DailyView binge, hopefully, through the end of the year. With school going, this could be a challenge, but EYG is going to give it a try.
September 5, 2021: Pocahontas (1995)
September 6, 2021: From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
………………………………. Observe & Report (2009)
September 7, 2021: Eye for an Eye (1996)
September 8, 2021: Abandon (2002)
September 9, 2021: Abbott and Costello Meet the Killer, Boris Karloff (1949)
September 10, 2021: Black Christmas (1974)
September 11, 2021: Big Fish (2003)
September 12, 2021: Labyrinth (1986)
……………………………….. The Wicker Man (2006)
September 13, 2021: The Squid and the Whale (2005)
September 14, 2021: The Killing (1956)
September 15, 2021: A Day’s Pleasures (1919)
September 16, 2021: Primer (2004)
September 17, 2021: Sleepwalk With Me (2012)
September 18, 2021: The Truman Show(1998)
……………………………….. Peter Pan (2003)
……………………………….. Drain the Sunken Pirate City (2017)
September 19, 2021: The Pirates of Penzance (1983)
……………………………….. Treasure Island (1950)
September 20, 2021: The Limey (1999)
September 21, 2021: Robots (2005)
September 22, 2021: Jason X (2001)
September 23, 2021: Westworld (1973)
September 24, 2021: The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane (1976)
September 25, 2021: A Kiss Before Dying (1956)
……………………………….. The Raid: Redemption (2011)
September 26, 2021: And Then There Were None (1945)
………………………………… Sherlock Holmes in Washington (1943)
………………………………… Breakdown (1997)
September 27, 2021: Blackfish (2013)
September 28, 2021: Witchfinder General (1968)
September 29, 2021: Terror By Night (1946)
September 30, 2021: The Times of Harvey Milk (1984)
October 1, 2021: I Am a Ghost (2012)
October 2, 2021: Bloodsport (1988)
October 3, 2021: Butterfly Kisses (2018)
October 4, 2021: Tales of Terror (1962)
October 5, 2021: The Limehouse Golem (2016)
October 6, 2021: Shoulder Arms (1918)
October 7, 2021: Elvira: Mistress of the Dark (1988)
October 8, 2021: The Incredibly Strange Creatures Who Stopped Living and Became Mixed-Up Zombies (1964)
October 9, 2021: Session 9 (2001)
October 10, 2021: Premonition (2007)
October 11, 2021: The Boy Behind the Door (2020)
October 12, 2021: Prevenge (2016)
October 13, 2021: Hellraiser (1987)
October 14, 2021: The Old Dark House (1932)
October 15, 2021: Re-Animator (1985)
October 16, 2021: Prom Night (1980)
..………………………. Dracula: Dead and Loving It (1995)
October 17, 2021: The Haunted Mansion (2003)
October 18, 2021: The Wicker Man (1973)
October 19, 2021: Sleepaway Camp (1983)
October 20, 2021: The Spider Woman (1943)
October 21, 2021: The Pilgrim (1923)
October 22, 2021: The Picture of Dorian Gray (1945)
October 23, 2021: Battle Royale (2000)
October 24, 2021: Cursed (2005)
October 25, 2021: The Flight That Disappeared (1961)
October 26, 2021: The HauntedHouse (1921)
October 27, 2021: Dead & Buried (1981)
October 28, 2021: Stephen King’s Cat’s Eye (1985)
October 29, 2021: The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942)
October 30, 2021: Rabid (1977)
October 31, 2021: Kalifornia (1993)
November 1, 2021: Cold Turkey (1971)
November 2, 2021: Mr. Bean’s Holiday (2007)
November 3, 2021: The Thomas Crown Affair (1999)
November 4, 2021: One Week (1920)
November 5, 2021: Mark Twain and Me (1991)
November 6, 2021: Charade (1963)
November 7, 2021: Sexy Beast (2000)
November 8, 2021: Ghost in the Machine (1995)
November 9, 2021: A History of Violence (2005)
November 10, 2021: Earwig and the Witch (2020)
November 11, 2021: The Cure (1917)
November 12, 2021: The Battered Bastards of Baseball (2014)
November 13, 2021: Hearts in Atlantis (2001)
………………………………. What’s Love Got to Do With It (1993)
November 14, 2021: A Spinal Tap Reunion: The 25th Anniversary London Sell-Out (1992)
……………………………….. Awakenings (1990)
……………………………….. The Philadelphia Story (1940)
November 15, 2021: The Black Dahlia (2006)
……………………………….. Top Five (2014)
November 16, 2021: Shadow of a Doubt (1943)
November 17, 2021: Fun and Fancy Free (1947)
November 18, 2021: Sherlock Holmes and the Voice of Terror (1942)
November 19, 2021: The Secret World of Arrietty (2010)
November 20, 2021: Rent (2005)
November 21, 2021: Let Me In (2010)
November 22, 2021: The Fireman (1916)
November 23, 2021: Where’d You Go, Bernadette (2019)
November 24, 2021: Easter Island Unsolved (2018)
November 25, 2021: The Beatles: Up Close and Personal (2008)
………………………………… Across the Universe (2007)
November 26, 2021: 8 Mile (2002)
November 27, 2021: The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep (2007)
November 28, 2021: Benny Loves You (2019)
November 29, 2021: Atlantis: Milo’s Return (2003)
November 30, 2021: Munich (2005)
December 1, 2021: A Muppet Christmas: Letters to Santa (2008)
December 2, 2021: The Queen (2006)
December 3, 2021: Shipwrecked (1990)
December 4, 2021: Gods and Monsters (1998)
December 5, 2021: Love Actually (2003)
December 6, 2021: The Adventurer (1917)
December 7, 2021: Movie Trailers: A Love Story (2020)
December 8, 2021: Jingle All The Way (1996)
December 9, 2021:Better Watch Out (2016)
December 10, 2021: Newsies (1992)
December 11, 2021: The Postcard Killings (2020)
December 12, 2021: Still of the Night (1982)
………………………………. Shane (1953)
December 13, 2021: The Rite (2011)
Announcement…
The DailyView has been extended once again…now in an attempt to go for 365 days straight. This is the final extension and the DailyView now will end on April 28, 2022. 365 days in a row. Can it be done?
December 14, 2021: The Christmas Star (1986)
December 15, 2021: Hunt for the Abominable Snowman (2011)
December 16, 2021: Mickey’s Christmas Carol (1983)
December 17, 2021: The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939)
December 18, 2021: Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
………………………………. The Matrix Reloaded (2003)
December 19, 2021: The Matrix Revolutions (2003)
December 20, 2021: Cleopatra (1963)
December 21, 2021: Reindeer Games (2000)
December 22, 2021: The Gambler (1980)
December 23, 2021: MacGruber (2010)
………………………………. Trick ‘r Treat (2007)
December 24, 2021: A Very Murray Christmas (2015)
………………………………. White Christmas (1954)
December 25, 2021: The Tale of the Princess Kaguya (2013)
………………………………. El Camino Christmas (2017)
………………………………. Walk the Line (2005)
December 26, 2021: Monster (2003)
………………………………. Aileen Wuornos: The Selling of a Serial Killer (1992)
………………………………. Aileen: Life and Death of a Serial Killer (2003)
December 27, 2021: Man of a Thousand Faces (1957)
………………………………. Sudden Fear (1952)
December 28, 2021: A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)
………………………………. The Naked City (1948)
December 29, 2021: Bound (1996)
December 30, 2021: Sign ‘o’ the Times (1987)
………………………………. Another Fine Mess (1930)
December 31, 2021: The Stolen Jools (1931)
January 1, 2022: Betty White: First Lady of Television (2018)
…………………………. Descendants (2015)
January 2, 2022: Find Me Guilty (2006)
………………………… The 39 Steps (1935)
January 3, 2022: The Lodger: A Story of the London Fog (1927)
January 4, 2022: The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934)
January 5, 2022: Spellbound (1945)
………………………… Ewoks: The Battle for Endor (1985)
January 6, 2022: The Laundromat (2019)
January 7, 2022: To Sir, With Love II (1996)
January 8, 2022: Where the Wild Things Are (2009)
………………………….. Incident in a Ghostland (2018)
January 9, 2022: Man with the Screaming Brain (2005)
…………………………. American Factory 美国工厂 (2019)
…………………………. Steve Martin & Martin Short: An Evening You Will Forget for the Rest of your Life (2018)
…………………………. The Sign of Zorro (1958)
January 10, 2022: Dirty Work (1998)
January 11, 2022: Lilies of the Field (1963)
January 12, 2022: The Polka King (2017)
January 13, 2022: Unaccustomed As We Are (1929)
January 14, 2022: 1922 (2017)
January 15, 2022: A Kind of Murder (2016)
January 16, 2022: Step Brothers (2008)
January 17, 2022: Elephant (2003)
January 18, 2022: Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)
…………………………… The Sit Downers (1937)
January 19, 2022: The Fundamentals of Caring (2016)
January 20, 2022: 10 Things I HateAbout You (1999)
January 21, 2022: Exit Through the Gift Shop (2010)
January 22, 2022: City of Ember (2008)
…………………………… Riders of Justice (2020)
…………………………… Son of Bigfoot (2017)
January 23, 2022: The Right Stuff(1983)
…………………………… The Departed (2006)
…………………………… My Best Friend Is a Vampire (1987)
January 24, 2022: Tell Me Who I Am (2019)
January 25, 2022: Only (2019)
January 26, 2022: March of the Penguins (2005)
January 27, 2022: Anna and the Apocalypse (2017)
January 28, 2022: We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)
January 29, 2022: Ready to Rumble (2000)
…………………………… Nacho Libre (2006)
…………………………… Tommaso Ciampa: blackHEART (2019)
January 30, 2022: Requiem for a Dream (2000)
…………………………… The Circus (1928)
…………………………… Shark Tale (2004)
…………………………… Burn After Reading (2008)
January 31, 2022: Sherlock Holmes Faces Death (1943)
February 1, 2022: The Notebook (2004)
February 2, 2022: The Photograph (2020)
February 3, 2022: Annie Hall (1977)
February 4, 2022: Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)
February 5, 2022: Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012)
…………………………… Small Axe: Mangrove (2020)
February 6, 2022: The Big White (2005)
February 7, 2022: Night and Fog (1955)
…………………………… Sweetheart (2019)
February 8, 2022: Remastered: Who Shot the Sheriff (2018)
February 9, 2022: Jack Ketchum’s The Girl Next Door (2007)
February 10, 2022: Population 436 (2006)
February 11, 2022: 13th (2016)
February 12, 2022: Small Axe: Lovers Rock (2020)
…………………………….. Harvard Beats Yale 29-29 (2008)
February 13, 2022: The Freshman (1925)
…………………………….. Safety (2020)
…………………………….. Brian’s Song (1971)
February 14, 2022: Small Axe: Red, White and Blue (2020)
February 15, 2022: My Super Ex-Girlfriend (2006)
…………………………….. Up in the Air (2009)
…………………………….. Small Axe: Alex Wheatle (2020)
…………………………….. Driveways (2020)
February 16, 2022: Small Axe: Education (2020)
February 17, 2022: Elvis on Tour (1972)
February 18, 2022: Hungarian Rhapsody: Queen Live in Budapest (1987)
February 19, 2022: Bottle Rocket (1996)
February 20, 2022: Lady in White (1988)
February 21, 2022: Michael Jackson’s This is It (2009)
…………………………….. Thirteen Days (2000)
February 22, 2022: The Cat Returns (2002)
…………………………….. Sparrows (1926)
February 23, 2022: The January Man (1989)
February 24, 2022: The Jungle Book 2 (2003)
……………………………… A Futile and Stupid Gesture (2018)
February 25, 2022: Back in Time (2015)
February 26, 2022: Parkland (2013)
February 27, 2022: Mindhorn (2017)
…………………………….. The Final Cut (2004)
…………………………….. Ink (2009)
February 28, 2022: Bringing Up Baby (1938)
March 1, 2022: On the Trail of…Bigfoot: The Legend (2019)
March 2, 2022: Murder By Death (1976)
March 3, 2022: Other Side of the Box (2018)
March 4, 2022: Boy (2010)
March 5, 2022: On the Trail of Bigfoot: The Search (2020)
………………………. Stan Lee Presents: The Condor (2007)
………………………. Sherlock Jr. (1924)
March 6, 2022: 99 Homes (2014)
………………………. High Noon (1952)
………………………. Meet the Hitlers (2016)
………………………. That Thing You Do! (1996)
March 7, 2022: Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005)
March 8, 2022: Don’t Look Now (1973)
March 9, 2022: King Tut in Colour (2020)
March 10, 2022: The Sky (2020)
………………………… Fabricated (2016)
March 11, 2022: Little Miss Sunshine (2006)
……………………….. Rewind (2019)
March 12, 2022: Perfume: The Story of aMurderer (2006)
……………………….. My Darling Clementine (1946)
……………………….. What Haunts Us (2018)
March 13, 2022: Mom and Dad (2017)
………………………… Relentless (2020)
………………………… Raising Cain (1992)
March 14, 2022: Eagle vs. Shark (2007)
March 15, 2022: The Man Who Knew Too Little (1997)
March 16, 2022: Cannibal Island (2015)
March 17, 2022: The Snapper (1993)
………………………… The Secret of Kells (2009)
March 18, 2022: Missing Mom (2016)
March 19, 2022: The Boondock Saints (1999)
………………………… Broken Flowers (2005)
March 20, 2022: Lured (1947)
………………………… Ghostwatch (1992)
March 21, 2022: The Legend of Hell House (1973)
March 22, 2022: Three O’Clock High (1987)
………………………… Mean Girls (2004)
March 23, 2022: Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About his Father (2008)
March 24, 2022: Last Flag Flying (2017)
March 25, 2022: King Creole (1958)
March 26, 2022: Suspect Zero (2004)
March 27, 2022: Mrs. Miniver (1942)
…………………………. Tom Jones (1963)
…………………………. An American in Paris (1951)
March 28, 2022: Marty (1955)
March 29, 2022: The Lost Weekend (1945)
March 30, 2022: All the King’s Men (1949)
March 31, 2022: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore (2011)
April 1, 2022: Curfew (2012)
April 2, 2022: Kayfabe: A Fake Real Movie About a Fake Real Sport (2007)
April 3, 2022: My Breakfast with Blassie (1983)
…………………….. My Dinner with Andre (1981)
……………………. Stutterer (2015)
April 4, 2022: The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006)
April 5, 2022: Near Dark (1987)
April 6, 2022: Birth of the Living Dead (2013)
April 7, 2022: JCVD (2008)
April 8, 2022: They Go Boom (1929)
April 9, 2022: Ordinary People (1980)
April 10, 2022: Summer of 84 (2018)
………………………. Fernando Nation (2010)
April 11, 2022: Howl (2015)
April 12, 2022: The Journey of Natty Gann (1985)
April 13, 2022: Jonestown: Paradise Lost (2007)
April 14, 2022: Brick (2005)
April 15, 2022: Dog Day Afternoon (1975)
……………………… The Hitch-Hiker (1953)
April 16, 2022: Cedar Rapids (2011)
April 17, 2022: Nancy (2018)
……………………… Blood & Wine (1996)
……………………… The Madness of King George (1994)
April 18, 2022: Joe (2014)
……………………… Darkness Falls (2003)
April 19, 2022: The Quiet Ones (2014)
April 20, 2022: Pineapple Express (2008)
April 21, 2022: Immortal (2020)
April 22, 2022: The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)
April 23, 2022: The Voices (2014)
April 24, 2022: Changeling (2008)
………………………. Apocalypto (2006)
………………………. Escape from Pretoria (2020)
April 25, 2022: The Legend of Cocaine Island (2018)
SPOILERS FOR THE FALCON AND WINTER SOLDIER EPISODE 5
Episode 5 of The Falcon and the Winter Soldier dropped on Disney + this morning and it brought another fantastic episode hot off the end of episode four’s shocking twist with the murderous John Walker and his bloody shield. Walker finds himself retreating from the area where he had murdered the Flagsmasher and into a nearby warehouse.
Bucky and Falcon arrive and approach John with the intention to give him to give up the shield. Let’s just say that John was not too excited about complying. Then, the three of them engage in an epic battle. Sam gets his wings ripped off. John gets his arm broken as they tear the shield away from him.
This was going to be our sole action beat of the episode as the remainder of the episode was full of amazing character driven moments and deep scenes of development.
Then, we see John Walker at a military trial and being removed from his rank and his commission. However, after the trial, John is approached by a mysterious woman who calls herself the Contessa Valentina Allegra de la Fontaine. I had to look twice when she walked up because I could not believe who I was seeing.
Julia Louis-Dreyfus.
Amazing. She is playing a character with a lot of background in the Marvel Comics, but who knows who she is going to be here. Rumor has it that she is going to appear in the Black Widow movie coming up in June. However, no matter how epic I thought this was, all I could think was…
How did they keep this secret? I had no idea she was going to be here. And she is a huge star. We knew there was a big cameo in the episode, but I would not have guessed Julia Louis-Dreyfus if you gave me a month to guess. It also feels as if she is going to be a major factor moving forward in the MCU.
Baron Zemo arrives at the Sovokia Memorial and Bucky walked up to him. He makes it look like he is going to shoot Zemo in the head, but he reveals that he had removed the bullets. The Dora Milaje escorted Zemo to the Raft.
Zemo was fantastic in this entire show and Daniel Brühl stole every scene he was in. I love the fact that he is off to a super prison, ready to be brought back whenever we need him. In WandaVision, Agatha Harkness winds up in a prison (sort of) too so maybe Marvel has learned their lesson about killing off their awesome villain characters.
Sam started off by heading to Baltimore to carry on a conversation with Isaiah Bradley. This scene is short with Sam and Isaiah, but it was one of the more powerful scenes that you could get. This was a master class of acting between Carl Lumbley and Anthony Mackie. Finding this scene of racial injustice in a Marvel TV show is mind boggling. I hope somewhere down the road, we get more of Isaiah Bradley.
After this, Sam went back to his sister’s home to deal with the boat. They begin to fix it up and Sam gets the people of the community to pitch in. Bucky shows up with a suitcase from Wakanda. Then we get the first of out montage scenes as Sam and Bucky work on fixing the boat and it is one of the best things we see. It is such a heart warming moment that shows the relationship between them.
There is a second montage scene in the show this week as Sam is training with the shield. It was another fantastic scene that developed this friendship even more. Bucky looked at Sam and said, “When Steve told me what he was planning, I don’t think either of us really understood what it felt like for a black man to be handed the shield. How could we. I owe you an apology. I’m sorry.” One line and we see that Bucky finally understands the reasoning behind Sam’s choices for originally giving the shield back to the government. Sam then dove into his old ways of talking to soldiers with PTSD and he told Bucky how he can move on. It was a tight and brilliantly scripted moment that gave us the relationship that we have been waiting for. So many epic conversations in this episode that had so little action. Despite that, you do not miss the action one bit. This was a wonderful episode.
Other items
The scene where Sam’s nephews wake up Bucky as they are playing with the shield and the second one where one of them traces the star on the shield are simply inspirational and transcendent. It is a beautiful pair of scenes that give hope that even the little black boys can have hope in America.
Um… Sharon Carter… is she legit the Power Broker? She sent Batroc the Leaper to Karli and he is wanting to kill Sam. WTF
Unless Julia Louis-Dreyfus is the Power Broker and Sharon is working with her or working undercover.
Bucky flirting with Sam’s sister.. perfect.
The scene with John Walker talking to Lamar’s parents was all kinds of tragic. It gave us even more layers into the character of John Walker while giving us a taste of Lamar.
Isaiah Bradley’s tragic story needs to be told in some extended series somewhere.
Show blatantly leaves us dangling with the reveal of the new suit for Falcon from Wakanda. Can’t wait to see.
In the first mid-credit scene of the series, John Walker is making his own shield.
Batroc is here!
The show is setting up a huge final battle with our heroes and the Flagsmashers at the GRC for next week.
The new sci-fi film hitting the theaters this weekend is Voyagers, and the basic premise of the film is Lord of the Flies in outer space.
In order to find a new world to inhabit because the earth was dying, a group of children are bred and birthed for a specific purpose: to be the people who give birth to the kids who would reestablish humanity. Since the trip would take 86 years, they needed a multigenerational approach.
As these young kids are growing, they are being instructed and protected by Richard (Colin Ferrell). When strange noises start happening outside the spaceship, Richard and Zac (Fionn Whitehead) were going to find out what it was. However, Zac and Christopher (Tye Sheridan) had discovered that the blue liquid that the group was required to drink daily was a drug to suppress sexual feelings and other emotions and they decided to stop taking it.
Without the drug, Zac became more wild and uncontained. When tragedy struck, Zac and Christopher wound up on opposite sides among the crew.
Sela (Lily-Rose Depp) was the medical examiner and one of the group of kids was with Christopher. She was pretty good here though I was not sure the reason why she and Christopher had the connection they had.
This movie had a couple of moments and a fascinating premise, but not enough for this to be successful. The characters are dull and uninspiring. I could not get the idea of Lord of the Flies out of my head the entire time. I was connecting characters with the novel and that became a distraction for me.
Fact is the movie is pretty forgettable and there is nothing that stands out. It is lightweight and unremarkable.
Melissa McCartney and Octavia Spencer gain super powers to try and stop a group of super powered sociopaths called the Miscreants in the new super hero farce/comedy Thunder Force, arriving on Netflix this weekend.
In the world, an event gave random people super powers, but, unfortunately, only people who were sociopaths. This was, obviously, not good for the people. Now, Emily (Octavia Spencer) is trying to fulfill her lifelong goal to find a process to grant super powers to regular people to fight the Miscreants.
Emily is preparing to undergo the process to give herself super strength and invisibility, but an old friend from high school, Lydia (Melissa McCarthy) accidentally winds up getting the initial injections for the super strength. She then has to complete the process or her body might explode.
Emily continues to give herself the invisibility and the pair become a super hero team called Thunder Force. They confront the Mayor who insists on being called “The King” (Bobby Cannavale), who was also a Miscreant. He has Miscreant henchmen Laser (Pom Klementieff) and The Crab (Jason Bateman).
This is really pretty dumb and really fairly thin. It is a super hero comedy that did not have many laughs. It was a typical Melissa McCarthy film with super powers. Characters are two-dimensional with motivations that are simple and not complicated. They spend plenty of time dealing with the normal super hero tropes of an origin film and creates a minor story.
It was harmless though. It gave me a few laughs here and there. Not enough of them to really enjoy the film or to make up for its complete lack of depth, but it was not the worst movie I have seen this year.
The film does not give its talented cast much to do but they do their best anyway. These actors, McCarthy and Spencer especially, are likable and fun to watch. They both have had much better material in the past however.
Not much to this one, but it is not offensive and moves along reasonably. Since it is on Netflix, it may be worth a lazy Saturday/Sunday watch.
SPOILERS FOR EPISODE FOUR OF THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER
Some people found episode three of the Disney + series to be a bit of a step down (not me though) from the rest of the series. However, I don’t think anyone is saying that about episode four, an amazing thrill ride.
There are two images/moments that are right near the top of the best moments not only of this series, but also the MCU (that may be hyperbolic, but…). One of those were at the very beginning of the show and one as the ending image at the very end of the show.
The episode started off in a flashback from six years ago in Wakanda. Bucky and Ayo are at fireside and she is saying the trigger words that activate the Winter Soldier program that was in Bucky’s head. Shuri had been working to remove the programming and this was an attempt to see what would happen. Sebastian Stan was absolutely brilliant in these few minutes. He worked through such pain and anguish as the words were being said. He had flashbacks to some of his past atrocities as the Winter Soldier and he struggled to maintain his control. Then, when the words were complete and Ayo said that he was free, Bucky’s tears of relief rolled from his eyes. The scene ended with a slight smile from Bucky. Such a powerhouse moment for the character of James Barnes.
The second image that brought tears to my eyes was the very end of the show. John Walker, the new Captain America, who had taken the final vial of Super Soldier Serum that Karli had (Zemo had destroyed the rest and took a shield to the head for his trouble), flipped out and chased the Flagsmashers away. He flipped out after Karli kicked Battlestar into a pillar and he dies (we think). He caught up with one of the Flagsmashers and he brutally killed him with the shield. The show gave a final shot of Walker standing, holding the shield with blood covering the bottom of the shield. It was a gutshot to me. It was so disturbing and painful for me to see the shield tarnished with the blood of the Flagsmasher. It shook me.
By the way, as John Walker is driving his shield into this helpless man, there are tons of people with their cell phones out and recording. It is very much like the current world when police officers are over stepping their boundaries and using excessive force. I certainly think the scene with John Walker plays as an analogy to those real life moments.
Now, the rest of the episode was awesome too. It was just bookended with some amazing awesomeness.
In particular, the Dora Milaje was here. We saw Ayo show up at the end of the third episode to confront Bucky. This week she told him that he had eight hours and then they were coming for Zemo. Then they came for him and wound up in an epic battle with Walker, Battlestar, Bucky and Sam in a hotel room. The expertness of their fighting skills were on full display as they showed why the Dora Milaje is considered the elite fighting force in the world. And, Ayo delivered one of the defining lines for the characters of the Dora Milaje when she said, in response to Walker saying that they did not have jurisdiction, that “The Dora Milaje have jurisdiction wherever the Dora Milaje find themselves to be.”
We continue to develop the character of Karli. Last episode, it looked as if she had taken the turn to full fledged villain, but her motivations are walked back a bit this week. There are still some ways to redeem her because they have truly made her shades of grey. She had a philosophy that you could, conceivably, get behind. Her interactions with Sam during this show were so well written that you could see how the two of them could be connected. It is still unclear who might be the “big villain” of this show because there are so many shades here.
Of course, Daniel Brühl is just the best. After Disney released the extra scene of Zemo dancing (looped for an hour), it is obvious that Baron Zemo is a star in this show. He continued here being one of the best characters on the show. He is both hilarious and sinister at the same time. He is the smartest person in the room and he is fully committed to his agenda. As he smashed the super soldier serum, Zemo showed that he could not be corrupted by the power. You could almost respect it if he was not taking things in another different path,
Other highlights:
“Looking strong, John!” – Bucky
Bucky has his metal arm removed in battle
John Walker’s story is great. Plus, he is shown as being uncertain about what to do with the super soldier serum he had found. It is a great character moment as we watch him slip into his head.
Bucky shows his knife fighting skills once again.
The extra drop of Battlestar’s head is dramatic when he is “killed.” I put it in quotation marks because I am assuming that he is dead, but you can never be sure.
Was there a relationship between Bucky and Ayo? There was a look of betrayal from Bucky when she took off his arm. This has easily been Sebastian Stan’s greatest MCU performance so far.
Karli is still iffy in my mind. She made a threat against Sarah and her children.
Is Sharon Carter the Power Broker? Could be.
It is amazing that Zemo’s head is still on his shoulders after taking the shield to his face.
Zemo in the bathrobe is just a perfect character trait. Zemo has been such a fantastic character here.
Sam stood out here too. It seems clear that Steve Rogers was right when he picked Sam to carry the shield.
It was sad how the man Walker murdered with the Shield was the same man who had told Karli that he was a Captain America fan as a child.
The brutality of the final scene is something that we have not seen a lot of in the MCU and it caught me off guard. It served to taint the symbol of Captain America and it was a serious gut punch. I did not know that it meant as much to me as it did until I saw the shot of the shield with the blood on it. The show has two more weeks left and it has stepped up into a new stratosphere with this week’s offering.
It is a survivalist tale in a post apocalyptic future. It is a story of sacrifice. It is a story of family. It is a story of a super hero.
And it was great.
Images Comics latest comic, Geiger, came out today and it was a fantastic read. The story progresses quickly, jumping around in time, giving us hints about what happened to the world and presenting us with several secrets that create a memorable Mad max type world.
The Glowing Man is a mysterious figure and the heart of the book. How did he become the way he is? We see some pieces, but, as a good narrative does, it leaves us with more questions than answers.
Some of the art in this book are majestic. There are plenty of wonderful panels that tell the story in beautiful imagery and color. There are some full page panels that are pieces of art that would be right at home on the wall of a gallery.
I have a hot take on Ghostbusters 2. I thought it before I rewatched today, and the viewing of said movie did not to replace those thoughts in my head.
Ghostbusters 2 is a good movie.
Moreso, the reason that it received as much disappointment and potential vitriol as it did was that it was following the original Ghostbusters, which is a damn near perfect film.
So, while Ghostbusters 2 did not live up to the level of awesomeness that was the original Ghostbusters, it was never going to be able to do so and we, as an audience, approached it with terribly high and practically unreachable expectations for the sequel.
Yes, there were some repeated beats in the follow up film, but most sequels have bits that are repetitive. It is the nature of continuing a successful franchise. Sure, some of the humor did not hit as well as the first film, but that does not mean that there are not funny lines and humorous lines. Just with the returning cast alone, Ghostbusters 2 has an advantage. Bill Murray is just as charming as he is in the first film and his relationship with Dana Barrett (Sigourney Weaver) was completely less stalkery.
I would go as far as to say that had this been the first film and the original became the sequel, people would look upon this with more love in their hearts.
Peter MacNicol is a great addition as the possessed henchman Dr. Janosz Poha of the ultimate bad guy, Vigo (Wilhelm Von Homburg). Yes, Vigo was fairly underwhelming, but MacNicol made up for the lack of Vigo with his own craziness. And the real villain of the piece was the mood slime, which was a cool gimmick.
What is supposed to be the final season of Stranger Things should be hitting Netflix later this year, but that talented cast should be fine once it is over. Case in point, Caleb McLaughlin teams up opposite one Idris Elba in a modern Western premiering on Netflix this weekend, entitled Concrete Cowboy.
McLaughlin played Cole, the son to Elba’s Harp, who had been taken away from him as a child by Cole’s mother, was getting into trouble in Detroit. His mother chose to send Cole to Philadelphia for the summer to be with his estranged father. Harp was a member of a community of cowboys in the Philadelphia area, maintaining stables filled with horses. Money is tight, but the group of people are dedicated to the lifestyle.
Cole, however, does not find this situation to be happy, as he immediately hooks up with an old friend Smush (Jharrel Jerome). Smush is involved with street wise trouble and is looking to bring Cole in with him. Harp insists that Cole stay away from Smush, but Cole plays both sides.
Meanwhile, Cole has bonded with a horse named Boo that is a horse no one can handle.
The film is a decent story and has some powerful acting. Caleb McLaughlin really carries his work load with some more established actors. He had to bring plenty of layers of performance here, as the realm of emotion spread across the spectrum. He does a great job and he is the heart of the film.
Idris Elba had some moments, but he stands out the most with his scenes with McLaughlin, as a father who is trying his best to provide his emotional support despite not being there for the majority of his son’s life. He had plenty of problems he faced and came out of it a stronger person.
The secondary cast is fine, but few of them are memorable. Method Man, Byron Bowers and Lorraine Toussaint are here as well.
Based on the novel Ghetto Cowboys by Greg Neri, Concrete Cowboys provides a fascinating look at the urban cowboys that exist in Philadelphia and the way their lives exist. When you add the strong father-son dynamic of the story, this movie has some very strong parts. It might be a tad overlong, but the performances keep it rolling.
The second film I saw at Cinemark today was the good one. This is a revenge thriller starring Bob Odenkirk (of Better Call Saul & Breaking Bad fame). Odenkirk may not seem like an actor who would fit as an action star, but he proves his worth in this movie.
Odenkirk played Hutch Mansell, a seemingly milquetoast man, who cannot even protect his family from a pair of bumbling thieves. His monotonous life has him going through the motions daily. His life is dull.
However, the break-in triggered something that Hutch had been holding inside of him for years and he went out to hunt down the thieves. Along the way, we discover that there is more to Hutch than we had expected.
A conflict with a group of drunken Russians on a bus brought out the vicious side to Hutch and put the Russians into the hospital. This drew the attention of the brother of one of the Russian, Yulian (Aleksey Serebryakov), and set up a wild revenge story.
Bob Odenkirk is great here and brings a realness to a film that desperately needs it. His deadpan reactions really work well in the violent situations that he finds himself in. Odenkirk is an Emmy Award winner and you can see how much of a range he has. How he started as a man who did not have that spark and then as he became more and more alive as the violence increased.
Christopher Lloyd has a wonderful role as Hutch’s father David. It was fun to see Lloyd here and placing him in this situation that we may not have seen him in before, much like Odenkirk, is cool.
Written by Derek Kolstad, who also wrote the first three John Wick movies, you can definitely see the similarities to the Keanu Reeves franchise. However, the use of Bob Odenkirk brings a different level to Nobody that takes the ideas that we have seen multiple times in revenge flicks and made it entertaining.
I returned to Cinemark today, fully immunized, for a double header. I have not been feeling desperate to go back to the theater though. Watching at home has been pretty convenient and comfortable. However, with a light, yet extended, weekend, I had some time to head out. So I grabbed my heavy-duty mask and headed for the theater.
Of the two film I saw, one was great, one was not.
This is the not.
A hearing-impaired girl named Alice (Cricket Brown) is visited and healed by what she believed was the Holy Virgin Mary. She also gained the ability to heal others through the prayer and belief. Disgraced journalist Gerry Fenn (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) is coincidentally in the area investigating a cattle mutilation story and stumbled across an artifact that freed up a demon. Fenn connected with Alice and hoped to use her story to get back his prime job.
There are a couple of familiar faces in the church with Father Hagan (William Sadler) and Bishop Gyles (Cary Elwes). I have to say, there were two moments where I was quoting The Princess Bride because of the familiarity of the scenes. And not in a good way.
Sadly, there is a lot of dumb here. Characters who are dumb doing things that are dumb. Jeffrey Dean Morgan feels as if his character is remarkably inconsistent and has a back story that is touch on, but not developed in any way. Alice is even less of a developed character.
The whole religious line of the story is surface level at best. There might have been an idea here that the film could have said something about, but it does not. The mysterious demon was never scary and the jump scares were nothing new or original. You have seen this all over the place.
There are some seriously laughable scenes. There was one scene where one of the priests ( it was actor Diogo Morgado) was trying to light a match and the spirit/demon kept blowing it out from over his shoulder. It was hilarious. Unfortunately for the movie, it was not supposed to be funny.
There were as many eye rolls for me here as anything else. The Unholy is not a good movie.
Go listen to EYG Hall of Famers Kiss’ song Unholy. It is much more entertaining and has been going through my head since.
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EYG- Embrace Your Geekness 